Wheezes and Wrackspurts
by Simple-Minded-Mockingjay
Summary: Begins in book 5. A look at how Fred and Luna become friends through the DA and grow to something more. Not a great description but there you go. May change the rating as I go along. Will try to update every week, reviews would be great so I know if anyone is interested in me continuing.
1. Chapter 1- Grimmauld Place

Fred awoke to the sound of total anarchy. It was always like that the first day back at Hogwarts, the Burrow filled with a general clatter of commotion mixed with the occasional shrill cry of panic from his mother. Only this year they weren't in the burrow, they were in 12 Grimmauld Place where they had spent the majority of the summer. Fred found it strange that if he closed his eyes and focussed only on the noise he could whole-heartedly believe he was at home… that is if he could ignore the slight smell of damp that seemed to radiate from the very walls of the Black family home and the venomous insults issuing from Mrs Black's portrait every time someone clunked past with their trunk. Fred sat up in bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes and stretching until his joints popped. He hated that this was his first day back at Hogwarts and he wasn't at home, especially given it was his last first day, it somehow felt wrong.

"Hey Freddy, nice to see you've re-entered the world of the living" teased George from the bed occupying the other half of the room. Fred didn't appreciate the joke and threw his pillow at Georges head… He wasn't a morning person. George on the other hand was fully dressed and had probably been up for at least an hour already. It was odd that for all the ways that Fred and George were identical, practically interchangeable in some people's eyes, it was the smallest differences that made them two individuals rather than a pair. "Dare I ask if you've bothered to pack?" George asked knowing full well there was no chance Fred had the foresight to think of that.

"Unnng" was the garbled reply he received as Fred crawled headfirst back under his duvet.

"Here's the deal, you get up and ready in time for leaving and I'll pack your trunk…" George offered in a stern voice. Fred just burrowed deeper into his still cosy bed. "C'mon Fred, you're probably missing breakfast" He taunted.

With that Fred was up like a shot bolting for the door. He could hear George chortling as he bolted the bathroom door behind him. After answering natures call he hopped into the shower. Fred was usually the type to stand under the water for a few minutes, give himself a quick once over with the soap and think _that'll do_, but today was different. Today he'd be back at Hogwarts where there were hot girls with higher standards than that, he had to make an effort.

As he towelled down and dressed he thought of possible conquests for the year. There was Angelina Johnson, she'd gone to the yule ball with him the year before but he had a sneaking suspicion she'd thought he was George when she agreed to go with him: she'd spent the entire night staring at him with a disappointed look on her face. There were a couple of other girls on the Quidditch team he thought were okay -Katie, Alicia- and a few girls he'd seen around the common room and in the great hall- Hanna, Ivy, Susan, Romilda. As he made his way down stairs his mind casually milled over the girls in his head, the jade green eyes of Ivy, the full round lips that belonged to Romilda, Hanna's button nose, the long, wavy blonde hair of L… _Merlin's beard! No! No way!_ He thought to himself pushing the image from his mind. He shuddered before taking his seat for breakfast in the dingy kitchen surrounded by members of the order. His excitement for breakfast had been destroyed by the unexpected attack from his subconscious. Yes he'd noticed Luna, she was pretty in an odd sort of way, but he didn't like to think of her that way. Even if she wasn't- you know- insane, she was still Ginny's age and that was like cradle robbing. Having assured himself that the outburst from his mind meant nothing he dug into breakfast with renewed vigour knowing that it was the last sample of his mother's cooking he would have for months, the Hogwarts house elves were good but they were no Molly Weasly.

After breakfast Fred slipped up the stairs as quietly as he could manage so as not to set off the damned portrait. In his room he found his trunk fully packed, and George tucking into some 'Every Flavour Beans'. The twins began to talk animatedly about Quiddich and NEWT's and all things Hogwarts. George got a little carried away on a rant about Angelina getting Captain instead of either of them insisting that 'no one appreciates the beaters'. After a few minutes Fred couldn't stop his mind from wandering to the two brief weeks they spent in the burrow before being carted off to London. Fred had been enjoying the freedom of being 17, and a fully-fledged wizard, by apparating all over the hills surrounding Ottery St Catchpoll… and that was the first time he'd ever really noticed Luna.

_It was a Tuesday, the sun was hotter than it had been all year and Fred was ready to test himself. He had, up until now, only apparated short distances in relatively comfortable conditions. Today, under the blistering sun, Fred was going to apparate further than he had ever attempted before._

'_It's just a matter of concentration' he mumbled. 'Just remember the double D's or whatever it was'._

_He turned on the spot and visualised the far hills just visible on the horizon. All the air was taken from him as he travelled towards his destination and returned just as swiftly with his arrival._

'_That does not get better the more you do it' he wheezed while doubled over trying his best not to vomit. Once able to stand again Fred looked around to see if he had in fact reached his destination. That's when he saw her…_

_He couldn't help but laugh. She was dressed in the most mis-matched outfit Fred had ever seen, and that was coming from a guy who'd seen some of the insane getups from the Quidditch world cup the previous year. Her hair was an untamed mess and he could just see the end of her wand protruding from behind her ear. Fred was preparing to apparate back before being noticed when at that moment she turned around looking startled. Fred opened his mouth to apologise but no words came out. _

"_You look dreadful" she said bluntly before he could compose himself. "Have you just apparated or could it be troll lurgy? The symptoms are very similar you know: shortness of breath, pale complexion. It's not until they start coughing up bubbles that most people even realise they have the lurgy."_

"_I- er- what?" stammered Fred_

"_Do you need to sit down? Maybe you'd like some water or a mug of gurdyroot tea? It's ever so refreshing. Daddy says a mug every day will fight off most known ailments. Perhaps that would be useful, what with the lurgy and all."_

"_I don't have any lurgy thanks, and I really should get goi-"_

"_We'll just see, have someone inform me when the bubbles start or your feet swell to twice their s-"_

"_Are you joking or just plain loony?"_

"_No I'm __**Luna**__, not loony, how funny though… most people think I'm crazy… Looney Lovegood they call me… Very witty if you think about it."_

_There was no sarcasm in her voice, not even a hint of sadness, in fact she did sound rather amused. After a few long moments of silence Fred held his hand out to her._

"_Well I'm Fred, some people call me Freddy, not a huge fan of my nickname either to be honest." Luna reached for the extended hand but hesitated just before contact. "Don't freak out, I don't have lurgy and I'm not contagious… Weasley's honour."_

_They shook hands and in that brief second of contact Fred felt something deep in the pit of his…_

"Earth to Fred! Are you even listening?" George demanded snapping Fred from within his own head.

"Er… Yeah, 'course I was listening… Er, Angelina and Beaters… Respect?"

"Not even a little bit close… Where were you?"

"Em, just… Errr"

"FRED, GEORGE! DOWNSTAIRS NOW!" Shrieked Mrs Weasly from the hall.

"MUDBLOODS, SCUM OF THE EARTH" Chorused Mrs Black.

"Best be off." urged Fred, glad for the distraction and a chance to ignore the question. "Final year eh?"

And off they set for another year at Hogwarts.


	2. Chapter 2- The Astronomy Tower

_A/N: I am the worst person ever, I'm sorry I took so long to publish this chapter, had the worst writers block of my life! I had to literally map out exactly where the story was headed so that I didn't end up writing a load of rubbish. So here is chapter two, hope it's worth the wait…_

_Oh and I solemnly swear that I will get better at this weekly upload thing!_

The first week back had gone by in a blur of stress and confrontation. Fred could already tell that the school was divided: all those with any common sense were on team Harry, those without; well they ate up the ministry propaganda without ever stopping to think of the logic. Fred had received three warnings alone this week for getting into "heated discussions" with people who were gossiping about Harry and Dumbledore, and those were just the times he was caught.

"I don't see how anyone can look past the obvious fact that he's back!" Fred raged for what he felt was the millionth time since he stepped foot on the Hogwarts Express.

"Well they haven't had the entire Order of the Pheonix and ruddy Dumbledore round for tea to explain it to them, have they?" reasoned George. "I mean, It's easier for us to accept the truth because our family and friends accept it, it's that simple. Eventually people will have to pull their heads out of the sand and accept the truth."

"Wow, Georgie, when did you get so wise?" Teased Fred as he ducked to avoid the quill George had sent flying towards him. Fred glared at his brother with mock seriousness. "Hey, you could have had my eye out then"

The twins exploded in a fit of unashamed laughter, only laughing harder when they realised the entire common room was glaring at them. After the two regained composure they settled in to the stacks of homework they had sitting in front of them. Fred had been staring at his essay on "The Correct Way to Evade or Subdue a Kelpie" for over an hour when his fragile nerves snapped.

"Nope! Can't do it. I'm going for a walk"

Fred jumped out of his seat and practically raced to the portrait hole leaving a very confused George to chortle quietly at his whacky brother.

Once out of the portrait hole Fred had to make a quick decision, where on earth was he going? The grounds were still pretty light but he didn't much fancy missing curfew and being locked out of the castle… it had happened before and let's just say it wasn't a pleasant experience to wake up spooning a tree. Fred thought about heading to the library, then quickly remembered he hated that depressing room with its books and silence and, well its general air of boredom. He could always head to the kitchen, spend some time with the elves, get some snacks, and be treated like a god. After the week he'd had a little pampering would be great. Fred had all but made up his mind when on a whim he thought of the stars… the sky had seemed relatively clear of clouds from what he had seen through the common room windows and Fred felt like he hadn't seen the stars in so long. Without a second thought Fred knew exactly where he wanted to be.

The Astronomy tower was, as Fred expected, completely deserted. Finally, he had time to himself, time to just think and breathe and be. He sat down and waited for the sun to finish setting, once it had Fred found a spot under the brightest cluster of stars he could see and lay down on his back to take in the vastness of what lay above him.

Fred knew a lot of people saw him as nothing more than a joker, someone who was only happy if everyone was laughing with him; but they were wrong. Fred could be deep and insightful. Most of all Fred loved to look at the universe spread out above him in the night sky and take comfort in the fact that no matter how badly he or anyone else messed up, the universe would just keep on going.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" said a soft voice from the shadows. Fred started a little, but soon relaxed, he knew that voice. He slowly propped himself up on his elbows to get a better look at the girl whom he hadn't even heard come in. She was perched on top of the railings that occupied the windows of the tower; her large eyes glowing in the starlight caused Fred to draw comparisons to an owl.

"Yeah, I guess. I haven't seen them properly for ages, we've been in London… the city lights sort of block out the stars" He said trying not to start going on about the infinite universe. Fred looked at her precarious position once more and began to worry. "Aren't you worried you're going to fall?"

Luna didn't look phased. "Heights aren't really an issue for me, but I guess falling would be."

"But the fall wouldn't be an issue if you weren't up so high" Fred stated with a grin, knowing he'd said something smart… for some weird reason he was desperate to impress her.

"That was quite clever." Luna hopped down from her perch and walked towards where Fred was still lying. "I've met you before?"

The way Luna said it was almost like a question, Fred could only assume it was because he was a twin and hence easily interchangeable.

"Yeah, I'm Fred, remember? We met during summer. You accused me of being a troll or something."

"I thought you had Troll Lurgy. And I remember all that, it's just people like to, well… they like to pretend they don't know me, like we've never met. I'm different, you see, and it scares people."

"I don't think being different is a bad thing" Luna gave him a disbelieving look as she took a seat next to him on the floor. "Honestly, take it from someone who has grown up being exactly the same as someone else, different is nice."

"Different is nice…" She repeated. Her gaze was drawn towards the sky and Fred's soon followed.

The pair sat in silence for what seemed like hours but couldn't really have been more than a minute or so. Fred couldn't help but let his eyes drift from the stars above to look at Luna's face. Her freckles, like her hair, seemed to shine with a silver hew in the light from the moon. Fred knew in that moment that what he wanted, more than anything, was for this night not to end.

"So…" Fred questioned "know much about astronomy?"

"Only the very basics, I prefer to look at them rather than map them"

"Well, lie back and look then?"

Luna looked apprehensive at first but one of Fred's kind smiles was enough to convince her he wasn't kidding. She lay down, clasped her hands and placed them behind her head. And the two sat there, side by side, well into the early hours of the morning feeling completely comfortable looking up in silence.

_A/N:_

_Okay guys, what do you think? Please review, lemme know what you all think…_

_I want this to be a really good Fruna fic cause they're my number one OTP and I wanna do them justice._

_If you guys think there's any way to make the characters more authentic or true to the books just lemme know._

_And just thanks to anyone reading this, love you guys._


	3. Chapter 3- Quidditch

Today was the day. The day Fred both enjoyed and dreaded every year… Quidditch try-outs. Fred knew that he and George were the best pair of beaters Hogwarts had seen in decades; whether it was the fact they had been playing together since they could ride a broom or some kind of twin telepathy they were as in-synch as any two players could be. The thing was Fred could never quite shake the fear of being replaced. It was for that reason Fred had allowed George to drag him out of bed before the sun had even risen to get in some extra practice.

The Twins made their way down to the Quidditch pitch, making a quick detour to the kitchens where the house elves packed them some breakfast to take down to the pitch. Once they were in their Quidditch kit and on the field George went into drill sergeant mode, having them fly laps of the pitch and take turns throwing the bludgers for the other to hit for target practice.

"Come on Georgie," Fred protested after more than an hour of repetitive drills "at this rate we'll be too knackered to even stay on our brooms during try-outs."

George reluctantly agreed and within a few minutes they were sitting in the stands tucking into their packed breakfast.

"You know George, I think you had a point about not being made captain," noted Fred as he began tucking into some lukewarm porridge "with training sessions like that the team would be working like clockwork in no time. I mean we'd all be knackered, possibly dead, and we'd all probably hate you but we'd be pretty amazing at Quidditch."

"Wow Freddy, that might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me… I'm truly touched" George mocked. His sarcasm was met with a well-aimed jab to the ribs.

"No, seriously, you'd have made a great captain."

"Well don't let Angelina hear you say that, here she comes now."

The twins hastily packed away the remains of their breakfast and made their way down to where a small group had formed around Angelina. After a brief greeting she began to explain how the try-outs would work, mainly that she was only looking for a keeper to replace Wood. Fred noticed that Ron was among the group of potential keepers, his skin a light shade of green, looking more nervous than Fred could ever remember seeing him. George, obviously noting Ron's distress, suggested that everyone take a few laps of the field to get warmed up. Angelina nodded her agreement while flushing a shade of fuchsia. Fred took this as his cue to kick off and fly into the air.

A crowd had begun to flock to the stands to watch the tryouts, as was normal, and Fred was feeling the need to show off a little. He was mid corkscrew when she caught his eye. Suddenly Fred had forgotten how to breathe, it was a miracle he managed to complete his corkscrew at all. Luna looked beautiful. She was wearing her hair in a single braid, she'd even woven in a red ribbon, and in the sunlight her hair looked almost golden.

_Griffindor coulours, I'm impressed._

She was sat alone, as was usual, and Fred couldn't work out why it bothered him so much. Shouldn't someone so unique and kind be surrounded by friends. But Luna had said it herself, being different made people uncomfortable.

Fred managed to complete his lap and land without completely embarrassing himself, and for that he couldn't be more grateful. Upon landing he heard a couple of 4th year boys laughing.

"Can you believe it? Looney came dressed for the occasion, did you see that ridiculous ribbon? That girl has lost her marbles, that is, if she ever had any."

Fred could feel an angry blush creeping up his neck, although again he couldn't work out why. He instead made a quick mental note to send a bludger into the boys path during his trial.

_Looks like you won't be making the team _he thought sourly.

XXXXX

Ron was their new keeper. He had well and truly outshone the competition and Fred was very proud of his baby brother, not that he'd ever admit it. The grin on Ron's face was so infectious that the whole team was smiling as they left the pitch and change out of their kit. Despite this Fred felt he had performed poorly, and he was pretty sure why.

_I'm going to have to get over this… whatever this is. I can't just go to mush any time I see her._

Fred decided to go for a walk to clear his head, leaving George to head back to the castle with the rest of the team. Fred had walked for all of five minutes before he ran into Luna… Literally.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry. Oh, It's you." She stuttered out steadying herself "Hello Fred."

"Hi Luna… er, why the running?" He asked taking in her slightly windswept hair that was no longer neatly pleated but in its usual waves.

"Oh that, I just felt like I had to run. Do you ever feel that, an overwhelming need to just do something?" she asked, looking up at him with inquisitive eyes.

"Well yeah, but it usually gets me into trouble". They shared a laugh before falling into a comfortable silence. As if by unspoken agreement they began to walk together through the grounds.

"So, I saw you watching the Quidditch try-outs" stated Fred.

_Wow, real smooth Casanova._

"Yes, I do like Quidditch, I've never played myself but I can see the appeal. You're really very good, kind of graceful on a broom." Fred began to blush at the praise. "Oh no, now I've embarrassed you, I always just say what I think. I don't really have a filter."

"No, I'm not embarrassed, I like… I like how you say exactly what you think"

"That's good" she smiled in a way that made Fred's stomach do a funny flipping thing. "So where was Harry today, I'd have thought he wouldn't miss anything Quidditch-ey?"

"Oh, yeah. Harry wanted to be there but he was given detention by the toad" Fred almost spat the word, that woman made his blood boil.

"A toad? I can't imagine Harry allowing a toad to give him detention, a Kermibeast maybe, they're giant toad-like crea…"

"No, I mean Professor Umbridge"

"I see… she does look a lot like a Toad. And I suppose she's only given him a detention because she's a Ministry official. There's a big conspiracy going on in the ministry, trying to discredit Harry to cover up the return of You-Know-Who. It's ridiculous how many people believe the nonsense in the Daily Profit, the truth is quite obvious if you think about it."

Fred couldn't remember a time he'd been so relieved to hear that someone knew the truth, that he wasn't going to have to convince her. In a bold moment Fred scooped her up into a hug.

"You know, you're pretty smart Luna" he whispered before releasing her from the hug. A hint of a smirk, not unlike his own, was playing on her lips as she answered.

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."

Fred couldn't have stopped the grin that was spreading all over his face even if he'd wanted to. Luna matched his grin with a dazzling smile all her own.

"So, Lunch?" asked Fred

"Oh yes, I hope there's pudding…"

_**A/N: Okay guys, chapter 3. Lemme know what you think. **_

_**Hoping to get at least on more chapter done before Wednesday because I'm off on Holiday/Vacation and won't have my laptop as my family want me to "be social" and "actually go outside" hahaa.**_

_**Anyhoo review if you have any tips or comments. Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it. 3 **_


	4. Chapter 4- The Lake

September had drawn to a close and Fred was up to his eyes in unfinished homework, most of which had been due in over a week ago. It was for this reason Fred had cooped himself up in his bedroom surrounded by more textbooks and parchment that he had ever seen. Fred couldn't help but look out of the window to where the sunlight was raining in. He knew that it was distracting him, that he should close the hangings around his bed and refuse to acknowledge the beautiful day that was unfolding, but he just couldn't bring himself to.

_You have all the self-control of a Jarvey who's spotted a Gnome. Just buckle down and get this done, _He scolded himself internally.

_On the other hand, _thought the part of Fred's brain that was known for getting him into trouble_, the weather won't stay like this for long. We're in Scotland and it's the middle of autumn which means we probably won't see sunshine until next year. Come on, you know you wanna go outside… _

And without a further thought Fred headed down to the grounds all thoughts of coursework vanishing from his mind. Once out of the oak front doors Fred made a beeline for the lake, his favourite part of the grounds, where the view was so beautiful it was nearly impossible not to forget all of your worries. Fred was happy to see his favourite shaded spot under an old willow tree was unoccupied. Fred sat at the base of the tree and leaned against the trunk taking in the scene that lay before him. The rolling expanse of clear blue water that spread out for miles, the towering hills whose peaks were hidden from sight by wispy clouds that spread out intermittently across the azure sky. Fred lost all sense of time as he looked out at the scene, that was, until he heard a familiar voice.

"Please, I really do need my books." Pleaded the voice. Fred looked around until his eyes landed on Luna who was following a group of girls that were levitating all of her textbooks and heading towards the Lake, giggling cruelly amongst themselves. The girls halted at the lakes shore and, ignoring Luna's pleas, lowered their wands causing her books to fall into the lake with multiple large splashes. The look on Luna's face was enough to have Fred up and striding towards the girls, although he had no idea what to do when he reached them.

"Go on Looney, swim out and get them like a good little freak." Spat the girl in the middle of the group as she began to raise her wand "Maybe I could transfigure you into a fish and make it easier for you". Fred was still too far away to stop what happened next. Luna drew her wand from behind her ear, her stance and face both screamed defiance, it was a look Fred would have thought Luna incapable of making. Before she could utter a word the group of girls fired multiple hexes at her, some missed but at least 3 found their target and Luna was blown back off her feet and into the lake.

"Luna!" Fred shouted desperately breaking into a run, he had seen first-hand the damage multiple curses could cause and knew he had to get her out of the lake and to the hospital wing as soon as possible. At the sound of his shout the group of girls fled; obviously knowing the trouble they'd be in if they were caught. Fred wanted to chase them down and make them pay for hurting her, but the priority now was Luna. Fred charged straight into the water of the lake without a second thought about the fact that he was fully clothed. When he reached Luna he was relieved to see she had managed to stay afloat, he was less relieved that she was unconscious, her skin a violent shade of purple and now resembling scales rather than skin. Fred bundled her up in his arms, grabbed her wand and began to run towards the hospital wing as fast as his legs would carry him.

"It's okay," he whispered in the most soothing tone he could muster while running at speed "I've got you. You're going to be fine."

Fred knew people were staring as he bolted through the corridors shoving past anyone who was in his way but he found himself unable to care. After the longest few minutes of his life Fred finally reached the hospital wing. He deposited her on the first empty bed he could find and shouted for help as loudly as he could. He knew Madame Pomfrey would be fuming that he was disturbing her patients but his worry blocked out all rational thought.

Madame Pomfrey rushed to the bed to assess Luna's condition and scurried away muttering about the awfulness of teenagers. Fred began to pace the length of the hospital bed running his hands through his hair repeatedly, something Fred only did when he was anxious. Madame Pomfrey returned with a vial of thick yellow liquid and poured it into Luna's mouth. There was an almost immediate reaction; her skin began to return to its normal colour and texture.

"Maybe you should head down to the Great Hall," suggested Madame Pomfrey "It is almost dinner and Luna will most likely be asleep for several hours."

"I won't leave her" Fred deadpanned. Madame Pomfrey must have thought pushing the point further wasn't worth the hassle and left him to his pacing. Once Luna looked back to normal Fred took to sitting by her bedside rather than pacing. He was still damp from his foray into the cold lake water and wondered if Luna would be finding it as uncomfortable as he was, that's when he noticed Luna had been changed into a thin cotton nightshirt.

_Wow, when did that happen? _He pondered before realising Madam Pomfrey would never let a patient sleep in wet robes and must have used magic to change her into something more comfortable. He couldn't help but smile at the knowledge that Luna would wake up warm and healthy with him by her bedside.

And so Fred sat there like a silent sentry, waiting and watching for Luna to open her eyes. He fought the tendrils of sleep that beckoned him to slip into dreams. Then, at a little over four in the morning Luna began to stir.

"Fr…Fred" she whispered eyes still closed, half in the world of sleep. Fred couldn't breathe and he could feel butterflies rioting in his stomach.

"Luna?" he asked as her eyes began to open. "Luna, I'm here." Her eyes focused on him and she beamed up at him.

"Fred. Where am I? What Happened?" She asked. He reached out to squeeze her hand and was surprised when she twined her fingers with his. He cleared his throat. It took him a few moments to regain his composure and begin recounting what had happened. Throughout the whole story Luna didn't let go of his hand. When his story reached its conclusion Luna just looked confused.

"Why?" she asked tilting her head to the side inquisitively.

"I guess because they think you're too different or something"

"No, I mean why… why did you stay with me?" she asked. Fred dropped his gaze and began to blush a deep red.

"Well I… I stayed because we're…" _oh god, what are we? _"We're friends. Friends look out for each other; I stayed to look out for you."

"We're friends? But I… I thought people didn't like me." Fred squeezed her hand which was now wrapped in both of his.

"I like you." He all but whispered. Luna smiled a small smile but still looked slightly confused. Fred felt like he needed to elaborate for her to really understand. "I like that you don't care what anyone thinks of you, but that you know how to stick up for yourself. I like that you can make me laugh without really trying. I like that I can be myself around you but most of all I like that when you look at me you don't just see me as one of the Weasley Twins, you see me. Not many people do". Fred stared at the ground for a few seconds before he heard Luna burst into laughter.

"What's funny?" he asked looking up to see Luna doubled over from laughing so hard. Fred didn't think he'd ever heard a laugh so beautiful. It was like wind chimes in a breeze; light, airy and full of joy. She struggled to talk through her laughter but Fred could just make out her next words.

"Of course I see you, imagine getting you mixed up, you and George really look nothing alike." All Fred could do was looked stunned while she continued to giggle away.

"But we're identical…" At that Luna just howled louder and Fred found that he couldn't help but laugh with her. The two continued to laugh together until they were too exhausted to stay awake any longer. Fred hopped onto an unoccupied bed next to the one where Luna lay.

"Night, Luna."

"Night, Fred. Sweet dreams."

Something told Fred that was a guarantee. He gave her a quick smile before lying down. Within seconds of his head hitting the pillow Fred was fast asleep.

_**A/N: So I kept my promise and got one more chapter done before my holiday, hope you guys like it. **_

_**So I won't be able to post another chapter for a good few weeks since I'll be away for 2 weeks and then I'll actually need to write the next chapter :/ hope you guys aren't too mad at me for making you wait.**_

_**So, once again thanks for reading, see you all soon **____** 3**_


	5. Chapter 5- The Hogs Head Pub

_**A/N: Okay so I just wanted to let you know I took a few little creative liberties with the beginning of this chapter. This part, unlike my previous chapters is actually in the book but I've sorta edited it a little just to make it fit a bit better in my story… hope you guys like it. Note at the bottom about the extreme lateness of this chapter.**_

The Hogs Head pub was filled with more people than Fred had ever seen in the mangy old place. Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing at the head of the assembled group looking somewhat nervous about the reason they were here. At first, the news of a defence against the dark arts group had been shared with just a few trusted friends: but, like all gossip in the school, the news had spread like wildfire. Fred was slightly saddened to see that Luna wasn't among the group of assembled students. He had hoped, however foolishly, that Luna would have somehow heard the news from Ginny given that they shared at least a few classes. Not that he knew her timetable or anything, he wasn't a stalker.

Once everyone had been seated the chatter died down, leaving everyone staring expectantly at Harry.

"Er," began Hermione in a voice that was at least an octave higher than usual "Well - er- hi."

Before she could continue she was interrupted by the sound of commotion as someone barged into the pub at full speed, tripped, and practically rolled into the middle of the room in a blur of black, blue and blonde.

"I'm not late am I?" Luna squeaked, tangled in her robes on the floor. A wave of laughter echoed around the room as Luna began to straighten herself out. "I just lost track of time, I thought I'd seen a flock of Flying Scraperfurs and I couldn't pass up the chance to see them up close, they're very rare you see… only they turned out to be rather large butterflies, I was quite disappointed really."

A few of the assembled students had a hard time keeping a straight face, Fred however was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of Luna. She was on her feet now and making her way towards the only vacant seat… which by complete coincidence happened to be just to Fred's left. A blush began to spread across his face.

"Unlucky." Whispered George, who had either missed the blush or was interoperating it the only way he could; as a sign of discomfort.

Luna smiled slightly at Fred before taking her seat and turning to stare intently at Hermione. Fred found it very difficult to keep himself focused on the conversation, keeping just about enough of his focus to put Zacharias, a snooty Hufflepuff with a big mouth, in his place a few times. He couldn't help but notice that Luna smiled each time he did, which in turn made him grin like a goofy idiot. Fred spent most of the meeting sneaking glances at Luna. She was wearing a look of dreamy concentration, a look that only Luna could ever wear, and her hair was full of dust; presumably picked up during her 'grand entrance'. It took everything Fred had not to reach over and brush the dust out… wow, he was like a teenage girl in a muggle movie. What was wrong with him?

When the meeting was concluded everyone began to stand and make their way back out into the bustling streets. Fred hung back, under the pretence of an untied lace, to watch Luna who was in deep conversation with Ginny about the Flying Scrappa-whats-its. Her eyes were shining with enthusiasm as she described the creatures to an equally enthusiastic Ginny. Fred made a mental note to ask Luna all about her 'rare' magical creatures the next time they were alone, whenever that would be. He couldn't wait to see her face light up like this again.

Now that Fred thought about it, he didn't think he could wait any length of time to see Luna again. He knew he couldn't wait for a random meeting like he usually had to. He wanted more than a brief encounter, he wanted to, you know, hang out… properly… with plans and stuff.

A plan began to form in his mind as George forcibly removed him from the pub. Whilst the two walked to Zonko's Fred pulled out a scrap of parchment and a barely working quill.

"What're you writing there Freddie?" George asked snatching the parchment from Fred. "What's 'Haloween, Forbidden Forrest, 11pm' mean?"

"Just… erm a… well it's a… a prank. Yeah, a prank… on Filtch" Fred managed to stutter out.

George just shrugged and handed the parchment back to Fred with a sceptical look. Now all Fred had to do was slip the note to Luna in a totally suble, non-creepy way.

It must have been Fred's lucky day, within a few minutes he was presented with the perfect opportunity. Luna was wandering in her usual dreamy fashion just ahead of the twins. With quick movements Fred slipped the note into Luna's jacket, gave her hand a quick nudge and nodded towards her pocket. He continued to watch her long enough to see her pull out the note and give a subtle nod.

As far as Fred was concerned Halloween couldn't come soon enough.

_**A/N:**_

_**Okay guys, here goes. Have any of you ever started writing a fic thinking you, and you alone, were gonna be interested in the story. Because that's what I thought about this fic… I sorta figured no-one would be interested… And then all you fabulous people began to review saying how much you loved reading something I wrote, and it felt amazing! But then I started to think about how I had to make every chapter perfect so you guys wouldn't be disappointed, and this chapter just wouldn't come out how I wanted, like it was just supposed to be a filler chapter to give you n ide of where we were in the school year… but when I wrote it, it just kept coming out wrong. Then the longer I put off writing the more I felt like you guys deserved something spectacular… and I felt like I couldn't deliver it. I felt like if you guys were taking the time to review I should be putting out chapters that were fantastic and inventive and perfect and I was putting myself under a lot of pressure. Until today where I sat down to write and realised that you guys liked my writing when I just wrote the way I normally do… so I finally got a chapter that may not be perfect but that I like and that I think works with the story so far… I hope you guys agree.**_

_**So all I have to say is I'm sorry this chapter took so long… You guys are so awesome and unbelievably patient! Please keep reading and don't hate me haa.**_

_**Review if you feel like it… love you all 3**_


	6. Chapter 6- Halloween

Halloween was Fred's favourite day of the year… well second favourite really. His favourite day was April Fools' Day but that was a two-for-one kinda deal: a day that actively encourages pranks plus birthday presents and cake… best day ever. So, Halloween was a close second, and despite Umbridge's tyrannical reign Fred was determined to go ahead with his time honoured tradition of Halloween carnage. Fred and George spent the run up to Halloween each year planning and perfecting pranks and enchantments that would get everyone in the Halloween spirit, and this year was no different. If anything the two boys put in more effort than ever given this was their last year.

On top of all this Fred was working on his own little project for his time with Luna. Fred was past pretending he didn't have a crush on Luna, he couldn't deny it to himself anymore. But Fred knew he was a handful, that his constant jokes and tricks could be a lot to deal with, and so before he got too emotionally invested he wanted to be sure Luna could handle his quirks.

On the day of Halloween Fred cut class for the whole day to set up for his… date? No, he shouldn't get his hopes up… to set up for his time with Luna. He cast enchantments around the perimeter of his chosen destination within the forbidden forest in the hopes Filch wouldn't catch them; he really didn't want to get Luna into trouble, especially if the rumours about Umbridge's new detention regime were true. He then proceeded to cast a few charms of his own invention. When he was done the clearing looked pretty spooky if he did say so himself. Glowing eyes looked out from between the trees, shadows were cast at creepy angles and there was a thick, rolling fog carpeting the ground. By the time Fred was done perfecting his masterpiece it was almost time for the feast. _About time too,_ he thought, _haven't eaten all day_.

The Great Hall looked amazing as always: jack-o-lanterns were suspended in mid-air above the four house tables, bats circled the ceiling and wove between the pumpkins, and then there was the food. **Oh, the food!** The long tables seemed to groan under the weight of the dishes set out before them. Fred took a seat next to his twin at the Gryffindor table.

"Where the bloomin' hell have you been all day?" George asked as Fred began tucking into the feast.

"Ere n thur." Fred answered around a mouthful of food. George quirked his eyebrows, clearly not satisfied with Fred's answer. Fred was too engrossed in the food to really pay him any mind. Eventually George gave up and settled in to eat his own meal.

"Whoa Freddy, slow down there… maybe take the time to chew… or breathe?" Lee Jordan laughed as he sat across from the twins.

"Shup, m hunnry." Fred still wasn't slowing down, anything that impeded the process of food getting to his face seemed like a waste of time.

"Okay… didn't see you in charms class today, where w-"

"Don't waste your breath asking," George warned Lee "his lips are sealed tighter than a Jobberknoll's"

"Oh Freddy, don't you realise you can't keep secrets from us? It is our duty as best friends to pry into every little detail of your life, there's no fighting it." Lee joked punching him playfully in the arm. Fred couldn't help but laugh. The three of them fell into comfortable silence as the shovelled food into their mouths.

As the feast drew to a close Lee, George and Fred made their way to the common room. Fred knew he'd have to slip away from his friends before they made it to the common room otherwise he'd never be able to sneak out unnoticed. Fred seized his opportunity and casually slipped behind a tapestry and into one of the many passageways hidden around Hogwarts. He doubled back to the entrance hall and made his way into the darkness of the grounds.

"Lumous" he whispered as he lifted his wand, the tip of which illuminated the few feet of space in front of him as he walked to the designated meeting place. Fred had to once again commend his work, if the clearing had seemed creepy in the light of day it was downright terrifying at night. Even Fred, who'd set the whole thing up, felt a shiver of fear run down his spine. He pushed the feeling aside and checked his watch. 11:04. He tried not to panic, it had only been four minutes, and he knew Luna was a little dreamy; she was probably just taking her time. Or maybe she wasn't coming. 11:10. Fred had slumped down to the base of a tree with his head in his hands.

_She's not coming_. He thought sadly.

Just as he was about to give up and head back to the castle he heard a bone chilling howl that shook him to his very core. He leapt to his feet and began to back away from the noise. His calves hit something solid and he lost his footing landing on his back. He looked around frantically for what could have tripped him but could see nothing. He was starting to really freak out. Just then he saw an eerie figure emerge from behind the tree line. At first Fred assumed he was losing his mind but no, he was seeing correctly. The thing was floating in mid-air. The figure began to cackle as it drew closer and Fred could make out its face. He tried to scream but no sound came out. The… thing… was wearing a black hooded cape and its face… oh god its face… was covered in deep gashes that oozed thick black blood. Fred had never felt more terrified in his life.

_This is it, I'm going to die! I'm going to vomit and then I'm going to die! Oh god!_

All of a sudden the manic cackle was replaced by a tinkling laugh he knew all too well.

"Trick or treat?" said a familiar voice as it reached up to remove its mask.

"Luna? Wha… whe... huh? Wow." He stuttered out sounding like a total fool. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. _Words_ he thought _how do words work again? _He took a deep breath and tried again "That was… amazing! You scared me half to death… It was awesome."

Luna's giggles started up again. "Thanks," she managed to get out between giggles "I wish you could have seen your face."

Fred stood up slowly rubbing his behind. "Yeah, you really got me. How did you… with the flying and something tripped me but it was nothing and…" Great he was rambling now. "I'm really impressed. Can you tell me how?"

She stepped towards Fred and took a hold of his hand. "Have you ever heard of Thestrals?"

"The name rings a bell." Fred thought for a moment. "They're winged horses right?"

"Yes, they're invisible to most people. Come see?" Luna led him by the hand to the edge of the clearing where she'd made her grand entrance.

"How can I 'come see' if I can't actually see them? Oh…" Luna had placed his hand onto a seemingly empty space but his hand touched something very real. It felt almost skeletal, like skin and bones, only its skin was kind of leathery.

"Where your hand is now, that's the back of the Thestrals' neck and if you move your hand lower…" Fred felt what he assumed was a joint. "That's where his wing starts. If you're gentle he'll let you touch his wings. Can you be gentle?"

Fred nodded, not able to speak past the lump in his throat. She led his hand along the length of the wing and then down to the thinner membrane. Fred let out a shaky breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.

"This is so surreal. It's amazing, don't get me wrong, it's just… bizarre." He whispered, hoping not to spook the creature.

"I know, it's hard for most people to accept that seeing isn't always believing. You'd think in our world, a world full of what muggles call myth, that people would be a little more open minded."

At that moment she looked up at him with huge blue eyes and it took every ounce of restraint Fred had not to lean down and kiss her. She truly was the most amazing person he'd ever had the chance to get to know. She challenged him to see things a different way, she'd managed to out prank even him, she was just so… remarkable.

"Thank you, Luna."

"What for?" she asked. Fred felt a blush building, spreading from his neck and colouring his cheeks. He cleared his throat.

"Er…just thanks for tonight… and thanks for being you."

At that Luna pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you, Fred, for being my friend"

She released him from the hug looking a little embarrassed. Without a word Fred reached for her hand.

"It's getting kinda late; we should probably get you inside."

The two walked in a comfortable silence across the grounds and into the castle. Fred left Luna at the door to Ravenclaw tower where she shooed him away claiming she couldn't very well let him know how to enter the Ravenclaw common room. Fred wandered back to the Gryffindor Tower with a dopey grin on his face. The Fat Lady was ready to scold him for being out of bed so late until she noticed his grin.

"Oh, go right ahead you lovesick fool." She laughed as she swung inwards to reveal the common room.

"Thank you ma'am" he replied, winking as he stepped over the threshold. He was about to head up the stairs when a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Oh Freddy, We've been expecting you"

He turned around to see Lee and George sitting in armchairs giving him stern expressions. George had even gone as far as to bundle Crookshanks on his lap, stroking him like some muggle movie villain.

"Please take a seat," said George motioning the couch in front of him, "it's time to spill the beans."

**A/N**

**I made a reference to a Jobberknoll. It's a creature in the Fantastic Beasts book that was brought out for comic relief a while back. A Jobberknoll is a tiny blue bird that never makes a sound until the moment of its death when it'll let out a scream containing every sound it's ever heard in reverse order. I thought it would be a fitting reference since Fred won't talk about where he's been all day.**


	7. Chapter 7- Heart to Heart

Fred was well and truly up a particular creek without a paddle. On one hand Fred didn't want to lie to his two closest friends… especially since he'd never had to before. But, on the other hand, how would he even begin to describe why he'd been so distant recently? Fred felt like his friendship with Luna was one of the only things that was **his**… like letting people know would open up a floodgate of questions and judgements that would taint the one thing he had that was solely his.

George and Lee were still staring at him expectantly. He'd been silent for far too long and yet he hadn't thought of a single thing to say. Part of him wished he could do the cowardly thing and apparate himself out of the situation altogether.

"I was just… you know…in the forbidden forest." It was true but for some reason the statement came out more like a question. He knew right away that there was no way he'd be able to lie his way out of this one… his friends knew him far too well.

"Who were you with?" George asked.

"No one, I was alo…"

"I'm going to stop you right there, Freddy. I remember your note a few weeks ago. Now I have no idea who you gave it to, or why you think you need to lie, but there is one thing I know for sure… you were on a date."

"I was not on a…"

"Oh, come on." Lee laughed. "You should've seen your face when you came in just now. You looked like the cat that got the cream. That was a 'dazed and love sick' face if I've ever seen one."

George nodded his agreement before his face lit up in understanding.

"It's someone you think we won't be happy about, isn't it?" his face suddenly dropped. "It's not Angelina again, is it?"

"No, it's not Angelina, I promise."

"But it is someone! You basically admitted there is someone." Lee stated smugly, proud to have caught Fred out. Fred dropped his head and ran a hand through his hair. All he'd wanted to do was reassure George and now he'd backed himself into a corner.

"Are you ashamed of her or something?" Fred's head shot up to settle an accusatory glare on his brother.

"No, I'm not ashamed…" and he really wasn't. Despite what people might think Fred was not ashamed of Luna, the idea had never even crossed his mind. "I just… I don't want things to change."

Fred slumps into one of the armchairs and rests his head in his hands feeling utterly worn out.

"Nothing is gonna change just by telling us, we won't pry or judge or anything if that's what you're worried about." George looks at him in a way that says 'I know that's what you think'.

_Damn, being a twin sucks._

"Fine," he lets out an audible sigh "its Luna… Luna Lovegood."

The statement hangs in the air leaving a painfully awkward silence.

"I… I knew it!" Lee suddenly blurts out. "Pay up George! I was bloody right!"

"Wait… what?"

"I saw you mooning over her at try-outs, then there was that day she got hexed and you were running through the corridors like a man possessed to get her to Madame Pomfrey, and you couldn't take your eyes off of her at The Hogs Head. George thought I was wrong, figured he would have noticed if you had a crush. So we placed a little bet…"

Fred didn't know whether to be offended or burst out laughing, he went with the latter. Lee joined in immediately and after a few seconds George grudgingly did the same, handing Lee his winnings. The three talked into the wee hours of the morning about a mix of everything until Lee pointed out they had classes tomorrow and only a few hours left to sleep. On that note, the boys trudged to their dormitory, collapsed into their beds fully clothed and let unconsciousness claim them for the night.

**A/N: So this was just a sort of short filler chapter… I wanted it to be almost like a heart to heart but then it kept getting really angst-y when I tried to write it so I decided to just try and make it fun and jokey… so this happened.**

**Not 100% sure I like how it turned out but hey-ho such is life…**

**Reviews would be appreciated… and as always I love you guys 3**


	8. Chapter 8- The Room of Requirement

The Room of Requirement was like nothing Fred had ever seen or heard of before. Harry had briefly explained the way the room worked, how it changed to fit the needs of the user, but he had been totally unprepared for it all the same.

"Think of all the stuff we could have gotten away with if we'd known about this place since first year…" George marvels as he takes in the space "so many missed opportunities."

"We'll just have to make up for lost time then won't we?" Fred suggests a mischievous glint in his eye.

Fred, George and Lee make their way to the cushions that litter the floor and take a seat, waiting for everyone to arrive. A small smile graces Fred's lips when Luna arrives and skips straight towards him, plonking herself down on the cushion to his left. Once everyone arrives Harry is appointed the leader by way of majority vote and the group are given a name: The DA, Dumbledore's Army. When Harry suggests they split off into pairs to practice disarming Fred stands up and immediately turns to Luna.

"Wanna pair up?" he asks, while fighting the urge to hex George and Lee who are winking at him and making kissy faces over Luna's shoulder.

She nods and Fred holds out his hand to help her to her feet. She brushes some dust from her robes and turns to him with a dazzling smile.

_If she keeps smiling like that I'll never be able to hex her._

They stand facing each other with about two feet of space between them. Fred draws his wand from his robes and watches as Luna pulls hers from its spot behind her ear. In a matter of seconds Luna's face changes from her usual dreamy expression to a look of sheer focus and determination, not unlike how she'd looked the day at the Lake. He can't help but stare at the way her lip quirks up into a determined smirk, the furrowing of her brows and the sheer focus in her eyes. She looks equal parts beautiful and dangerous, and it makes his gut clench in a way that is almost painful. He's so busy staring that he doesn't even notice she's cast her hex until his wand is flying from his grip.

_Way to impress her with your magical ability, idiot. _He thinks as he collects his wand.

"Well, that was easy. Do you need a minute to recover from your embarrassingly easy defeat?" She giggles; Fred likes this competitive side of her.

"I was a little distracted… has anyone ever told you that you look adorable when you're about to hex someone?"

"Adorable? That's not exactly what I was going for."

"Did I say adorable? I meant terror inducing… is that better?"

She nods before taking up her previous stance. Fred wills himself not to get distracted this time. He casts the hex and watches as her wand flies upwards, she retrieves it with a spring in her step.

"This is quite fun." She laughs in that melodic way that makes Fred's knees go a little weak. "I know it's supposed to be serious, and that you-know-who is back and that's no joke, but learning practical magic is more fun when you have friends."

For the next hour or so they spar back and forth and Fred can't help but be mesmerized by her. The way she moves when casting charms, the slight jump she does every time she's disarmed, the way she licks her lips before reciting an incantation… it makes him grin like a love-sick fool but he can't find it in him to care.

Harry calls it quits at around ten past nine and sends people on their way in small groups to avoid detection. Fred and Luna join George and Lee and, after a brief introduction, begin to walk her to her to her common room.

"You really don't have to walk me to my dorm, the later you are out of bed the more likely you'll get in trouble…" She protests, worrying her bottom lip. Fred finds himself staring again and shakes his head to clear it.

"Oh, you really don't have to worry about us" Laughs George. "We've been out of bounds so many times we've lost count, and we rarely get caught."

"Yeah, Filch isn't exactly the brightest… all you need is a few choice distractions and a good knowledge of the schools secret passage ways to outsmart him. I could teach you if you'd like?" Fred began to blush, looking at his feet in an attempt to hide it.

"I'd like that" she smiled up at Fred. "So did you already know about the room of requirement then?"

"Well, not by name… George and I were once running from Filch, I think we'd tried to shave Mrs Norris or something, and we had nowhere to run. We thought we were in for it but suddenly this door appears out of thin air. It just looked like a broom closet back then… so we hid there until Filch passed by. Once we got out the door disappeared again. We had no idea what we'd found until today." Fred sighs as they reach the entrance to the Ravenclaw House. "I guess here's where we leave you."

Luna turns around and slings her arms around Fred's waist. Fred returns the hug, pulling her close to his chest. "Thanks for pairing up with me… I usually end up alone in classes so it's nice to have someone who actually wants to work with me." Fred peers down at her, meeting her wide blue eyes and smiling. He gave her a final squeeze before letting her go, giving her a brief wave and heading back to the Gryffindor common room.

Fred is fully expecting the teasing from George and Lee, in fact he's surprised they even wait until Luna is out of earshot before they begin a rousing chorus of "Fred and Luna sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g".

_Idiots _

**A/N:**

**Sooo first DA meeting out of the way… I feel like I write these two better when they're alone but since they're both in the DA I feel like it's important to have these chapters. Next chapter will mainly be just the two of them and plenty of fluff.**

**As always reviews are really appreciated. Love you guys :3**


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